A BILL to amend and reenact §18-5-20 of the Code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended, relating to county boards of education;
school libraries; requiring each school to have a certified
library media specialist; and requiring the board to develop
professional standards and the salary for the certified
library media specialist.Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §18-5-20 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows: ARTICLE 5. COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.§18-5-20. School libraries; librarian. (a) The board may provide libraries for its schools and may
purchase books, bookcases, and other things necessary therefor, and
shall pay the cost of such libraries out of school funds of the county. In connection with any such school library, the board may
employ a full-time librarian or may require one of the teachers at
the school to serve as a part-time librarian. Any such full-time
librarian or any such teacher-librarian, who holds a degree in
library science based upon the successful completion of a full year
of graduate work at an institution qualified and approved to offer
such degree, and who holds a collegiate elementary, first-class
high school, or other certificate of equal rank, shall be paid the
same salary as is prescribed by law for teachers holding a master's
degree.(b) The board shall have authority to employ during the
vacation period a librarian for any school having a library of one
hundred or more volumes, and to pay such librarian out of the
school funds of the county an amount to be determined by the board.
Any librarian so appointed shall keep the library open at least one
day a week, at which time the patrons and pupils of the school may
draw books from the library under such rules and regulations for
the care and return thereof as the board may prescribe.(c) The board shall employ in each school a certified library
media specialist whose professional standards and salary shall be
developed and determined by the West Virginia Board of Education.
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_______________NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require county boards of
education to employ a certified library media specialist in each
county school. The bill also requires the board to develop
professional standards and the salary for the certified library media specialist.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.